• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.159-168
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine effect of Tai-Chi exercise program on joint flexibility for osteoarthritis patients. To evaluate the effects, quasi-experimental study was used for pre and post test with a nonequivalent control group. Method: Fifty-tow subjects participated in the experiment(twenty-seven for experimental group and twenty-five for control group) and they were from two different senior citizen centers in J city. The experiment period was from April 2002 through August 2002. The experiment group took part in Tai-Chi exercise program for eighteen weeks(three times a week for four weeks and five times a week for fourteen week). The exercise was performed for 50 minutes at every time (15 minutes for warm-up, 30 minutes for Tai-Chi exercise, and 5 minutes for ending). In order to pursue study purpose, the SPSS/WIN 8.0 program was chosen for the statistical analysis; ANCOVA was employed in examining test hypothesis; t-test and $x^2$-test were used to examine homogeneity between experimental and control group. Result: The study results were as follows :Score of vertebral joint flexibility increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of wrist joint extension increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of wrist joint flexion increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of elbow joint extension increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of elbow joint flexion increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. There was a slight increase of knee joint extension in the Tai-Chi exercise group compared to control group, but without statistical significance. Score of knee joint flexion increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of ankle plantar flexion increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of ankle dorsiflexion increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Conclusion: As shown in the results, Tai-Chi exercise program can be effective nursing intervention for osteoarthritis patient to improve joint flexibility.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.83-93
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of Tai Chi self-help program and Tai Chi exercise in patients with osteoarthritis. Methods: quasi experimental design was utilized for the study to compare the effects after implementing tai chi self-help program and Tai Chi exercise for 6 weeks. The subjects of the study was osteoarthritis patients who visited to two Public Health Centers in Gyunggi-do from August to December, 2005. Total of 25 OA patients agreed to participate in the study, and 10 tai chi self-help program group and 9 Tai Chi exercise group were included for the final analysis after 6 weeks. Tai Chi self-help program was provided twice a week, 2 hours per session (one hour for tai chi exercise, one hour for self help program) for 6 weeks, and Tai Chi exercise group was provided once a week, 2 hours per session for 6 weeks. Outcome measures include flexibility, 6 m walking, and balance. Mann-Whitney U test of SPSS WIN 11.0 was utilized to compare the group differences. Results: The subjects of both program participants were not improved in their arm flexibility, and the difference was not significant. Tai chi self-help group improved more in their 6 m walking ability than Tai Chi exercise group, but the difference was not significant (F=.000, p>.05). Tai chi self-help group improved more in their balance than Tai Chi exercise group, but the difference was not significant (Rt: U=.24, p>.05; Lt: F=2.60, p>.05). Conclusion: The provision of both Tai Chi self-help program and Tai Chi exercise can lead improvement of 6 m walking, and balance, but the group difference was not significant. A rigorous research design should be further utilized to identify the potential benefits for this population.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.119-131
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• 2005

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine effect of Tai-Chi exercise program on pain, flexibility, perceived health status and instrumental activities of daily living for osteoarthritis patients. To evaluate the effects, quasi-experimental study was used for pre and post test with a nonequivalent control group. Method: Fifty-two subjects participated in the experiment(twenty-seven for experimental group and twenty-five for control group) and they were from two different senior citizen centers in J city. The experiment period was from April 2002 through August 2002. The experiment group took part in Tai-Chi exercise program for eighteen weeks(three times a week for four weeks and five times a week for fourteen week). The exercise was performed for 50 minutes at every time (15 minutes for warm-up, 30 minutes for Tai-Chi exercise, and 5 minutes for ending). In order to pursue study purpose, the SPSS/WIN 8.0 program was chosen for the statistical analysis; ANCOVA was employed in examining test hypothesis; t-test and $X^{2}-test$ were used to examine homogeneity between experimental and control group. Result: The study results were as follows: Score of pain decreased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of flexibility increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of perceived health status increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Score of IADL increased significantly after of Tai-Chi exercise program. Conclusion: As shown in the results, Tai-Chi exercise program can be effective nursing intervention for osteoarthritis patient to improve pain, flexibility, perceived health status and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.20-30
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• 2006

Purpose: To determine the effect of Tai Chi exercise program on fatigue, stress, and quality of life in middle aged women. Method: The study was designed as a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest quasi-experimental study. Thirty subjects were assigned for experimental group and thirty four subjects were assigned for control group. The subjects in the experimental group were participated in Tai Chi exercise program for 60 minutes per session 3 times a week for 8weeks. Tai Chi exercise program consists of 10 minutes warm-up, 45 minutes main, and 5 minutes cooling down exercises. In order to evaluate the effect of Tai Chi exercise program, fatigue, stress, and qualify of life were assessed by measuring the condition of the participants in respect of fatigue, stress, and qualify of life with questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using $x^2-test$, Fisher's exact test, t-test by a SAS-pc+ 8.12 program. Result: After 8 weeks Tai Chi exercise program, there were significant improvement in fatigue, stress, and quality of life in middle aged women. Conclusion: Tai Chi exercise program can be an effective nursing intervention to improve fatigue, stress, and quality of life in middle aged women.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.147-157
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Tai Chi exercise program (Sun style 12 forms) on anxiety, powerlessness, self-esteem in community-dwelling elderly women. Methods: With a quasi-experimental design, a nonequivalent control group pretest-post test was used. Elderly women who agreed to participate in the study were assigned into an experimental group (n=23), or a control group (n=23). The experimental group participated in Tai Chi exercise program for 50 minutes per session, 2 times a week for 11 weeks. Tai Chi exercise program consisted of 10 minutes for warm-up, 35 minutes for main session, and 5 minutes for cooling down exercises. Anxiety, powerlessness, and self-esteem were measured with questionnaires to evaluate the effect of Tai Chi exercise program. The data were analyzed by using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, and Mann-Whitney test by a SPSS WIN 12.0 program. Results: The experimental group showed significant improvement for self-esteem (z=-3.130, p=.002), powerlessness(z=-3.267, p=.001), and anxiety (z=-2.932, p=.003) when compared to control group, Conclusions: Tai chi exercise program may be an effective nursing intervention to improve self-esteem and to reduce powerlessness and anxiety in community-dwelling elderly women.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.61-73
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a 8- week Tai Chi exercise program on improving the risk factors for falls in the older adults with chronic arthritis pain. Method: Fifteen subjects were assigned for experimental group and thirteen were assigned for control group. The subjects of the experimental group participated in a 8 -week program of Tai Chi exercise. In order to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi program, pain intensity, postural stability, balance, gait, and flexibility of knees and ankles were measured before the first and after the 8th session Result: After a 8-week Tai Chi program, there were significant improvement in single-leg stance time with eyes open(left: p=.000, right: p=.003), total scores of balance(p=.004), total scores of gait(p=.005), and the angle of ankle dorsiflexion(p=.008) in the experimental group when compared to the control group. However, there was no significant difference in pain intensity between Tai Chi group and control group(p=.054). Conclusion: These results suggest that a 8-week Tai Chi exercise program can be utilized as a safe and effective nursing program to improve on improving the risk factors for falls in the older adults with osteoarthritis.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.77-84
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• 2007

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to compare the effects of Tai Chi exercise, Tai Chi self help program, and self help management program on arthritic pain, stiffness, fatigue and difficulties in performing daily activities in patients with osteoarthritis. Method: The pre-post experimental design was utilized with convenient sampling at Public Health Centers. Total of 38 subjects agreed to participate in the study with the inclusion criteria of being diagnosed as osteoarthritis and no previous regular exercise. The 12 subjects were assigned to Tai Chi exercise group, 13 subjects to Tai Chi exercise combined with self help management program, and the other 13 to self help management program. Tai Chi exercise group performed exercise twice a week for one hour per each session. Tai Chi self help management group came to the class twice a week, one hour for Tai Chi exercise, and another hour for self help management program. The third group came to the class once a week for one hour to participate self help management program. At the completion of 6 week programs, 10 subjects from Tai Chi exercise, 9 from Tai Chi self help, another 10 from self help management groups completed the post-test measures. The data were analyzed by SPSSWIN 11.0. The homogeneity tests for three experimental groups were conducted by $X^2-test$, Fisher's exact test, Kruskal-Wallis test. The final analysis of the post-test measures was conducted by ANCOVA with fatigue, pain, stiffness, and difficulties in daily activities of the pretest measures as covariates. Results: The results were as follows. There were no significant differences in fatigue, pain, and difficulties of daily activities among three groups for the pretest measures. The score of arthritic stiffness was significantly different among groups after controlled for covariates, but the post-hoc tests showed no group differences. Conclusion: The nursing interventions applied for osteoarthritis patients have been previously tested to show the cost effectiveness of symptoms management of this population.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.571-580
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• 2006

Purpose: This study was to compare the effects among Tai-Chi exercise, aquatic Exercise, and a self-help program for knee osteoarthritis patients on symptoms of arthritis, muscle strength, balance, and difficulty of performing activities. Method: There were 50 final subjects50. A non-equivalent pretest-posttest design was used. The collected data was analyzed using SPSS for Window. One-way ANOVA and Scheffe's multiple comparison test were used 8weeks after each program. Result: There were significant differences in joint pain(p=.000), stillness (p=.001), knee extensor peak torque(p=.006), knee flexor(p=.002), and difficult of performing activity (p=.000), but there was no significant difference in balance(p=.648). The Tai-Chi group was significantly different from the self-help group for knee extensor peak torque, knee flexor and stiffness on Scheffe's multiple comparison tests. In addition, the Tai Chi group or aquatic group were significantly different from the self-help group for difficulty of performing activities(p<0.05). Conclusion: There are significant differences in the effects of the nursing intervention among the three groups. The Tai Chi group and aquatic group were significantly different from the self-help group. However, it seems that Tai-chi exercise may be more suitable than aquatic exercise in osteoarthritis exercise programs. Further studies with a longitudinal study are necessary to confirm the longer exercise period.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2011

Purpose: This study was done to examine the effects of Tai Chi exercise program on BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms in patient with schizophrenia. Methods: The participants were patient with schizophrenia in S psychiatric hospital in D city. Twenty five patients were assigned to experimental group, and 26 patients were assigned to control group. Data were collected from May 9, to July 8, 2011. The Tai Chi exercise program was conducted with a duration of 60 minutes, 2 times a week for 8 weeks (a total 8 times). Measures were BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square test and t-test with SPSS/WIN 19.0 version. Result: The experimental group received Tai Chi exercise program had a significant changes in BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that Tai Chi exercise program is an effective intervention program to improve the BMI, positive and negative psychiatric symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2009

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of Tai Chi exercise program on physical fitness, pain, and self-efficacy in patients with osteoarthritis. Method: A preexperimental research design was applied to 22 subjects who dwelled at a welfare institution in C-city and agreed to participate in this study. The Tai Chi exercise was conducted with a duration of 60 minutes per session twice a week for 9 weeks. Outcome measures were physical fitness($VO_{2}max$, strength, flexibility, foot power, agility, balance), pain, and self-efficacy. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics and paired t-test. Result: After participating in the Tai Chi exercise program, the subjects showed significant improvements in strength, agility, balance, pain and self-efficacy. But there were no significant differences in $VO_{2}max$, flexibility and foot power. Conclusion: The results showed that Tai Chi exercise would partially improve physical fitness and be effective for pain reduction and self efficacy as well. Further studies are needed to confirm the effects of Tai Chi exercise on physical fitness.